Frequently-Asked Questions About Bicycle Touring Answered

So I finally got round to going through the years of correspondence – hundreds of emails – that I’ve had through this site’s contact form. It was quite fascinating to see how the figures came out, and occasionally funny:

A large proportion of messages were from people who wanted advice on various aspects of a cycle tour. Most of the answers were things I learnt after I’d left, so the best advice I could have given was simply to leave, and go through the same learning process – far more valuable than hearsay from someone else’s point of view.

But I know from experience that people – especially in the planning stages of a long trip – are really looking for reassurance of their doubts and fears. With that in mind, I wrote many articles over the last few months – partly with the aim of giving out a bit of advice on bike-building, finance, sponsorship, wild-camping, filming, and other topics, and partly just to let people know how easy it really is to have a long, meandering bicycle adventure.

Liz

Rick Newton

I am planning a trip this summer and am going to wild camp from South Carolina to Texas on a touring bike. I was hoping you could give me some advice on hygiene (how to keep clean) while on the road. I realize biking in the U.S. is probably very different than in Europe but any advice would be helpful.

Difficult to answer – just do what you can when the opportunity arises! In Europe I often went to a cafe for breakfast after wild camping, then used the bathroom facilities there. Other ideas – call in at campsites during the day and ask to use their shower block, they’ll often be happy enough to allow that. Petrol stations with disabled toilets. Small streams are usually clean. Finally, dirt probably won’t be as much of an issue as you think. Going for days without a shower is actually not that bad…